Cape Town packs mountains, beaches, penguins, wine country and 350 years of history into one small peninsula. Most visitors only have a few days, so here's a local's short list of the best things to do in Cape Town — and the easiest way to do each one.
1. Go up Table Mountain
The flat-topped mountain is the city's icon and one of the New7Wonders of Nature. The rotating cable car takes about five minutes to the summit, where paths loop around the plateau with views over Table Bay, Robben Island and the Atlantic. Go early on a clear, still day — the cableway closes in high wind.
Easiest way: our Half-Day Table Mountain & City Tour combines a guided walk through the Bo-Kaap and District Six with your pre-booked cable car ticket, in a group of no more than seven.
2. See the penguins at Boulders Beach and drive to Cape Point
A full day around the Cape Peninsula is the classic Cape Town day trip: the fishing harbour at Hout Bay, Chapman's Peak Drive, the Cape of Good Hope and the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach in Simon's Town.
Easiest way: the Cape Peninsula Day Tour runs in a 13-seater minibus with hotel pickup — or book the whole vehicle for your own group.
3. Walk the Bo-Kaap
The colourful houses of the Bo-Kaap are the most photographed street scene in the city, but the real story is the Cape Malay community who have lived here for centuries. Walk it with someone who can tell that story — our guide Sandiswa tells it in Bo-Kaap: the story behind Cape Town's colourful houses.
Easiest way: the two-hour Bo-Kaap & City Walking Tour continues down Long Street, through Greenmarket Square and on to District Six.
4. Taste wine without leaving town
South Africa's oldest wine region, Constantia, is twenty minutes from the city centre — and there are working urban wineries in the city itself.
Easiest way: a Constantia Wine Valley tour with pickup and tasting fees included, or the Urban Wine & History Tasting Walk through the city centre (18+).
5. Discover Cape Town's street art
Woodstock and Salt River are open-air galleries of murals by local and international artists — a side of the city most visitors miss. Read our guide Sandiswa's Woodstock street art walk.
Easiest way: the Woodstock Street Art Walking Tour starts at the Old Biscuit Mill.
6. Head out to the Winelands
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are under an hour away, with Cape Dutch towns and some of the country's best-known estates. It's a day where nobody should be driving.
Easiest way: a private vehicle with your own guide-driver for up to 3 adults and 2 children, or the 14-seater for groups of up to thirteen — one price for the whole group.
7. Slow down in the Company's Garden
The Company's Garden is where modern Cape Town began: the Dutch East India Company planted it in the 1650s to grow vegetables for passing ships. Today it's a shady green corridor through the city centre, with Lion's Head rising above the oaks and palms. It's free, it's central, and it's the best place to catch your breath between walking tours.
Around its paths are monuments and memorials that tell the city's more complicated history. A good guide can explain what they commemorate and who was left out of the story.
8. Visit the Iziko South African National Gallery
At the top of the Garden, beneath the cliffs of Table Mountain, the National Gallery holds one of the country's most important collections of South African and African art. Its temporary exhibitions often take on present-day questions of identity and memory. Give it an hour, and pair it with the Iziko South African Museum nearby.
Easiest way: both sit on the route of our Bo-Kaap & City Walking Tour. Ask your guide where to go back to afterwards.
9. See the beach huts at Muizenberg
Muizenberg on False Bay is where Cape Town learns to surf. The water is warmer than on the Atlantic side, the waves are gentle, and there are surf schools right on the beach. The brightly painted Victorian bathing boxes along the sand are one of the happiest photo stops on the peninsula, and the beachfront has plenty of coffee and ice cream.
Easiest way: Muizenberg is on the way to Boulders Beach, so ask for it on the Cape Peninsula Day Tour or add it to a private tour.
10. Experience South African music and dance
Music and dance are central to South African culture. They're how stories are told, how milestones are celebrated and how history is kept alive. Seeing a live performance, whether in a township, at a festival or at a cultural venue, is one of the most memorable things you can do in Cape Town.
Easiest way: tell us you'd like a cultural performance included when you plan a private tour.
When to visit Cape Town
- December to March (summer): hot, dry and busy. Book tours and the cable car ahead of time.
- April to May, and September to November: our favourite months, with milder weather, fewer crowds and wildflowers in spring.
- June to August (winter): rainy spells, but green landscapes, lower prices, and whale season starting on the south coast.
Getting around
Cape Town International is about 25 minutes from the city centre. A private airport transfer with meet-and-greet in arrivals costs from R1 250 for the whole car. If you want somewhere central to stay, our own Vintage Jam apartment sits on Greenmarket Square, walking distance from Long Street.
Want it planned for you?
Tell us your dates and what you love, and we'll put together a private itinerary — airport pickup, day tours and guides in one clear quote. Message us on WhatsApp; we reply personally, usually within a few hours.
